Senate Democrat Warns of Cuts’ Impact

A top Senate Democrat is trying to broaden the outcry over looming spending cuts set to begin next year, warning in a new 181-page report that cuts in social services would have a deep impact on children, families, and the poor.

The report by Sen. Tom Harkin (D., Iowa), entitled “Under Threat: Sequestration’s Impact on Nondefense Jobs and Services,” comes after many Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill have already warned separately that steep military cuts would hamper U.S. national security and lead defense contractors to lay off thousands of workers.
Mr. Harkin is chairman of a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees spending on things like health, human services, and education. His report breaks down – per state – where some of the cuts in government programs could be.

1) 211,958 fewer uninsured children would qualify for vaccines.
2) Five million fewer families would benefit from Maternal and Child Health block grants.
3) 33,816 fewer women would qualify for breast and cervical cancer screening.

The military and domestic cuts, which are expected to total $1.2 trillion over 10 years, are required by last year’s Budget Control Act, which took steps to reduce government spending in exchange for a dealt to raise the debt ceiling.
Democrats and Republicans have both said the cuts looming in January, referred to in Washington as the “sequester,” need to be replaced, but the two parties are at odds over what mix of tax and spending changes are necessary for a new deal.

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